Sexual violence; sodomy, defilement, rape in all its forms and whether actual and or attempted depletes human dignity and self-worth. The scarring, physical and psychological remain forever. Stripping of one’s dignity is atrocious and a malodorous form of international crime.
While sexual violence is a physical act, the aftermath is a concoction of emotional and invisible scars that forever haunts the victims and survivors, family and society. While some victims and survivors remained at that dark phase of the violation, some were ushered into a murky reality especially where the violation brought forth children.
It’s a very excruciating for a victim and survivor to deal with her agonizing scars and also have a constant reminder in her life by seeing and caring for a daughter or a son. In reality, this brings forth a scenario of mixed feelings; mothers love and a source of constant pain and reminder of the atrocities committed against them. The children too have had a fair share of pain as the society heaped loads of revulsion, not to mention the initial mothers’ anxiety.
This year marks the 17th year since the infamous 2007/8 post-election violence which visited this country. The settling of political scores was for the politicians but setting of communities against each led to displacement of people, destruction of property and death. In the mix, sexual violence was introduced as an effective evil tool for conflict which left a wave of pain and suffering to a lot of Kenyans. The perpetrators apparently have gone scot free and this clearly will breed a culture of impunity.
The Grace agenda, a formidable human rights lobby group championing for reparations for victims of sexual violence for the 2007/8 post-election violence and also of the subsequent electoral phases brought together victims and survivors in an emotional get together for the victims on 1st March 2025 in Nairobi.
Listening to the over 40 representatives of the victims and survivors from Kisumu, Busia, Migori, Mombasa, Nairobi, Nakuru was a reminiscence of the horrendous experiences brought back bouts of pain and grief. The 17 year journey has been eventful and no other human being should never ever be subjected to the same. The sexual violence episodes disrupted lives, some difficult to repair. Only therapy and hope can have the center holding, one day at a time. Episodes of gang rape, multiple rape and physical injuries from restraint with some bringing forth pregnancy is such a traumatizing article to draft. Some of the victims were left destitute, divorced and ostracized by society. Families were also left with very bad scars especially where rape preceded the killing of the victims; double pain. Other family members, especially husbands chose substance abuse and alcoholism with some ending their lives. Due to the violent nature of sexual violence, some victims were left with permanent physical injuries and huge medical bills to take care of. It pains to listen to stories of women who despite having physical disability were subjected to acts of rape.
The icing on the poisoned cake of trauma was the attendance of children who were born out of rape and defilement during the 2007/8 post-election episodes. The innocent looking children bubbly and full of energy are such a beautiful sight to behold; innocent souls who together with their mothers deserve nothing but full reparations.
The children, now in their mid-teens are now fully aware of their history and I am glad that they have made peace with it. It was so encouraging to listen to their songs and narrations which though arousing pain, but sang and told with much vigor but covered with subtle composure.
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) and other organizations have with consistency sustained a call for full reparations and full implementation of the recommendations of the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) report which identified sexual violence as one of the worst atrocities in the history of Kenya. The Grace Agenda organization continues to carry forward the difficult but necessary task of bringing together survivors of sexual violence especially those in relation to electoral related violence. They really need to be supported especially in the call for implementation of the Kinshasa Declaration on The Rights to Reparation and Co-Creation of Survivors and Victims of Conflict-Related Sexual and Gender Based Violence.
We can only be fair if as a country, we would support the implementation of the TJRC based reparations framework and domesticate the Kinshasa protocol to ensure that justice to the children born out sexual violence and their mothers is realized.
The children born out of the 2007/8 post-election violence don’t just deserve comforting words but in all aspects and in totality deserve justice and reparations. They need to be supported to get therapeutic counselling support, good education and equal chances in society. They are wonderful children.
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